So I bought the Wheeler Dealer Mustang - who saw me make a cock of myself ?

Not my usual 400 post but the title of the thread says it all................

 

Was an interesting experience that's for sure !

Been chatting with some guys on Pistonheads who follow all Wheeler Dealer episodes, rather than repeat myself the link is:-

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=204&t=1195273&mid=297538&i=319&nmt=Wheeler+Dealers+-+New+Series+2012&mid=297538

I love this car and it turns heads everywhere BUT I can't wait to get the new starter fitted to my 400 - I feel like I've lost a leg at the moment !

 

They're based in Bracknell in Berkshire, they have two workshops, one for doing the proper work and the other for filming - they're all a real nice bunch of guys.

 

Funny, I have a running Mustang and a dead 400 - opposite sides of the pond = opposite car problems !

Your right about the cars simplicity and (relative) light weight, loads of fun and turns lots of heads but doesn't have the class of the 400.

 

Even in the UK pretty much all Mustang parts are really easy to come by. I made contact with a dealer a few weeks ago (I haven't met him yet) and whilst discussing some of the bits I need he mentioned he was going to Vegas last week. Seeing as I was about to order a gear reduction starter from Ferraristarters.com I sheepishly asked if he fancied bringing it back for me and his reply was "no problem" - what a nice guy !

Hopefully he'll be able to supply anything we need but I'm grateful for the info so thanks.

And you're 100% correct about prices, I can get a rebuild kit for the Mustang engine for little more than the cost of the 400 starter I just ordered but I guess that's the price you pay for exclusivity and Italian flair ( no insult intended to our American cousins - I've had various US GM cars for over 30 years and love them as well!)

 

Edd's sidekick Paul sources the cars and does the bulk of the work in the other garage but they're doing this for tv so it makes sense really. They've done so much more work to this car that you don't see, everything (and I do mean everything) is new underneath and the car drives like new.

You're right about people's perception of American cars, everyone comments on them and 99.99% of the time they smile and wave at you - I've had it for 23 years with my 1953 Cadillac convertible.

 

Thanks, it really is a lovely car (not a 400 but it has it's own appeal and turns many heads). Yes, we saw an ad which had a picture of a 67 Bullit look-alike Mustang which said that the car would look like the one in the picture and if you wanted to buy it you had to be filmed "buying" it on screen.

We realised it was WD, emailed and was told that the car was being painted and that we cold look at it when it was ready. There was a couple of weeks between the initial email and viewing the car.

 

We first viewed the car Sept 15th when we met Paul (Edd's sidekick mechanic who actually does most of the work. For fear or repeating myself and to cut a long story short we decided to buy the car, was told by Paul that the price had to be close to £25k, (obviously tried less but got nowhere) and eventually agreed at £24.5k.

Filming was done Sept 19th which is when we picked the car up. Other than some miserable bastard keying the bonnet 3 weeks after we brought the car home it's been a lovely experience.

We're taking the car to the classic car show at the NEC this weekend and I have to drive it on stage for the Wheeler Dealer "What's the story" live show at around 3.15 on Friday and Saturday (can't do Sunday as I actually have a life outside of this car!). Apparently I have to talk with Mike Brewer for 5-10 mins about the car and WD before driving the car off stage. Should be a giggle - he really is a very nice guy.